Katty Kay

SPEAKING FEE RANGE ** Please note that while this speaker’s specific speaking fee falls within the range posted above (for Continental U.S. based events), fees are subject to change. For current fee information or international event fees (which are generally 50-75% more than U.S based event fees), please contact us.$25,000 to $30,000

Katty Kay is an expert journalist with extensive knowledge of global affairs, international relations and women's issues. Currently working as lead anchor of BBC World News America, she was previously Washington Correspondent for the BBC. Her career has taken her around the world, from Zimbabwe to South Africa to Tokyo to London. She has also worked for The Times of London.

Kay's experience of global politics began early, growing up all around the Middle East where her father was in the British diplomatic service. She studied modern languages at the University of Oxford (she speaks fluent French and Italian and “rusty Japanese") and worked at the Bank of England before taking up journalism.

Her position at the heart of Washington gives Kay expert knowledge of both US domestic and global affairs, be they economic, political or social. She is frequently invited onto NBC's Meet the Press as a guest commentator and she is often a guest co-host on MSNBC's Morning Joe.

With her co-author Claire Shipman, Kay wrote the New York Times bestseller Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success. This book explains how women can create a professional life that is in accordance with their needs and that this can enhance profitability and employee satisfaction. Their next book, The Confidence Code, was published last year.

Full Profile

Katty (pronounced CAT-TEE) Kay is the lead anchor of BBC World News America. Prior to taking over as lead anchor, Kay served as the Washington Correspondent for BBC since 2002.

Kay’s career with the BBC began in Zimbabwe in 1990 where she started filing radio reports for BBC World Service radio. From there she also covered the end of apartheid in South Africa.

Kay then went on to work as a BBC correspondent in London, and later Tokyo, reporting on stories including the Kobe earthquake and the Japanese economic recession. She settled in Washington in 1996 where she took some time out of broadcast journalism to join The Times’ (the British newspaper) Washington bureau before returning to the BBC in 2002.

From Washington, Kay covers the full gamut of American and global affairs – reporting on U.S. elections, the White House, Congress, Wall Street, global economies and world trouble spots. Kay also witnessed and reported on the huge change in American policy and psyche brought on by the attacks of September 11. Kay was at the Pentagon just 20 minutes after a hijacked airplane flew into the building – one of her most vivid journalistic memories is of interviewing soldiers still visibly shaking from the attack.

Kay is a frequent guest commentator on NBC’s Meet the Press and MSNBC’s Morning Joe where she also frequently acts as guest co-host.

In The New York Times best seller Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success, Kay and co-author Claire Shipman explore how women can create a professional life that meets their needs – and in the process creates more profitable companies with happier and more productive employees. Her next book, also co-authored with Claire Shipman, is The Confidence Code which is due out in April, 2014.

Kay grew up all over the Middle East, where her father was posted as a British diplomat. She studied modern languages at Oxford from where she went on to work for a brief period with the Bank of England. She speaks fluent French and Italian and also what she describes as ‘rusty Japanese’. Kay is married to Tom Carver, a strategic risk consultant. They live in Washington, DC with their four children.

Katty Kay Speaker Videos

Keynote Speech

“The great news is, confidence is something we can choose to have," Katty Kay explains. Drawing on her book The Confidence Code Katty encourages her audience to reach out and take that extra confidence for themselves. “You get more confidence by going outside your comfort zone, by taking risks, by being prepared to fail."

Keynote Speech

Speeches / Speaking Engagements

From her outsider's position as a Brit in Washington, Katty Kay uses her extensive experience and contacts to reveal a picture of what's really going on in the US capital. She explains how such a large percentage of politicians' time is taken up with infighting, and suggests how America's problems can be fixed through politics.

Having reported from all over the world, Kay has the knowledge and experience to present highly valuable insights into the rapid global changes we are currently undergoing. Most importantly, she can relate these changes to the impact that they will have on you and your business.

Based on her bestselling books Womenomics and The Confidence Code, Kay explains how allowing women to stay in the workplace while having a family not only benefits women but also is massively beneficial to their employers. She demonstrates how measuring outputs rather than input with flexible working schedules can see productivity rise by an average of 40%.

As well as offering keynote speeches, Kay is an expert moderator and interviewer who will get the best from all your guests on any panel.

“Washington From A Different Angle”

What’s really going on in Washington? How will it affect you? Having covered Washington since 1996, Katty Kay has the experience and contacts to talk about the events behind today’s headlines. She reveals the politics behind the posturing and provides a clearer picture of what’s likely to happen with the many challenges facing the President and Congress – health care, industry regulation, curbing runaway spending, growing the economy and jobs, the impact of emerging economies and competition, immigration, tax reform, foreign policy, gun control and more. As a Brit covering Washington, Kay offers a fresh outsider’s perspective and is perfectly positioned to ask and answer the big questions facing the U.S. As for the bigger picture, Kay suggests lessons America can learn from other countries – but will can Washington’s leaders take a time out from their ever-more partisan battles to find a way to compromise and meet the urgent challenges of today? Kay brings a unique perspective to the conversation and argues America’s problems are not economic, they are political – and they can be fixed.

“A Global Update”

The world is changing at lightning speed. It’s a world where many of the fastest growing economies are in Africa; where 300 million micro-bloggers challenge the supremacy of the Chinese state; and where one-third of the population of the Middle East is under thirty. It’s a world where big challenges abound. As the European financial crisis eases, the social toll of high unemployment still threatens the Eurozone. America’s economy is showing signs of resurgence, but its politicians have locked horns to impede real progress. Tension in the South China Seas raises concerns about Beijing’s regional ambitions. And from Tunis to Damascus to Cairo we are still feeling the turmoil of the post-Arab Spring Middle East. Where is it headed? Global times call for global perspective. Katty Kay draws on experience reporting from five different regions – North America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe – to offer insights on where the world is heading and how it will impact you.

“The Confidence Code”

Confidence! With it, we can take on the world; without it, we don’t ask for raises, request that important meeting, begin novels or take risks. In the success equation, research shows that confidence is even more critical than competence. But what is confidence and where does it come from? Are we born with it or do we acquire it? And why do women have less of it than their talents deserve? In this speech Katty Kay answers these questions and inspires audiences – weaving the latest scientific research with anecdotes from her own career and the many women she interviewed for the book. “Neurologists have isolated a ‘confidence gene,’” says Kay. “And when my own genes were tested for the book, I learned I am not genetically predisposed to being confident.” Kay’s experience is like that of so many women, even senior women, whose lack of confidence is what really holds them back from leaning in. But confidence is also art – impacted by how we choose to live with our genes. The good news – being confident is a choice. Kay’s storytelling inspires audiences to take action – to go outside their comfort zones, to try new hard things, to take risks, to be prepared to fail and to discover the secret to success.

“Womenomics”

At the 2013 World Economic Forum in Davos, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde called the advancement of women the greatest economic opportunity of our time. She is recognizing what Kay calls Womenomics, the extraordinary value of women in the workforce. Global studies show that companies who employ more senior women make more money. Women control 83% of consumer purchases; in America they even buy more cars than men. They have more degrees and are ideally suited to the demands of our talent-driven economy. But too many women in their mid-thirties hit the brick wall of kids vs. career and decide to leave the workforce. We can’t afford to keep losing them. Kay marshals evidence from employers large and small to show how possible it is to help women meet the demands of family and career and keep these valuable contributors in the workforce. Flexible work schedules prove to be a win-win; when companies take the clocks off the wall and choose to measure output not input, they see productivity rise by an average of 40%. What starts as talent retention becomes a profit bonus any company would be happy to have. Kay’s talks give an inspirational boost to women and a practical guide to employers, drawing on her own juggling of a demanding career and four children.

Moderator, Discussion Leader & Interviewer

A seasoned moderator and interviewer, Katty Kay brings experience and poise to the stage – deftly guiding the conversation in ways that unearth valuable insights with great, and sometimes surprising, results. Katty Kay will make the most of the important panel gatherings and notable guests on the program.

Katty Kay Speaker Testimonials

A Sampling of Organizations That Katty Kay Has Spoken For:

American Association for Justice

American Academy of Ophthalmology

American Gas Association

American Public Power Association

Association of American Medical Colleges

Association of College Unions International

Systems, Inc.

Bank Administration Institute

State University

Business Software Alliance

California Hospital Association

Cedar Crest College

Center for the Advancement and Study of International Education

Online LLC

Civic Entertainment Group LLC

Commercial Real Estate Women

Council of Chief State School Officers

Deloitte

DeSales University

Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

Fort Worth Lecture Foundation

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Independent Film Channel, LLC

International Monetary Fund

J.P. Morgan

Merrill Lynch Global Private Client

MetLife

Microsoft Corporation

Munich Reinsurance America, Inc.

National Association of Real Estate Investment Trust Foundation

National Council on Teacher Retirement

Novo Nordisk, Inc.

Penn National Insurance

Physician Insurers Association of America Putnam Investments

Red Hat Inc.

Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Assn

Society for Human Resource Management

Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority

The Minnesota Women’s Campaign Fund

The State Bar of California

UBS Investment Bank

Union University

Urban Land Institute

VSP Global Companies

Women In Public Finance

Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Inc. (WBENC)

Women’s Energy Network of Houston

YPO – WPO

* Please note that while this speaker’s specific speaking fee falls within the range posted above (for Continental U.S. based events), fees are subject to change. For current fee information or international event fees (which are generally 50-75% more than U.S based event fees), please contact us.

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Womenomics: Work Less, Achieve More, Live Better
You are not alone. Finally, here is a book that gets to the heart of what professional women want. You′ve probably been loath to admit it, but like most of us, you have had enough of the sixty-hour workweeks, the day-care dash, and the vacations that never get taken. You don′t want to quit, you want to work—but on your own terms and in ways that make it possible to have a life as well. Women have power. In Womenomics, journalists Shipman and Kay deal in facts, not stereotypes, providing a fresh perspective on the largely hidden power that women have in today′s marketplace. Why? Companies with more women managers are more profitable. Women do more of the buying. A talent shortage looms. Younger generations want to work flexibly, too. It all adds up to a workplace revolution that is great news for professional women—not to mention men and businesses as well.
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“Washington From A Different Angle”

What’s really going on in Washington? How will it affect you? Having covered Washington since 1996, Katty Kay has the experience and contacts to talk about the events behind today’s headlines. She reveals the politics behind the posturing and provides a clearer picture of what’s likely to happen with the many challenges facing the President and Congress – health care, industry regulation, curbing runaway spending, growing the economy and jobs, the impact of emerging economies and competition, immigration, tax reform, foreign policy, gun control and more. As a Brit covering Washington, Kay offers a fresh outsider’s perspective and is perfectly positioned to ask and answer the big questions facing the U.S. As for the bigger picture, Kay suggests lessons America can learn from other countries – but will can Washington’s leaders take a time out from their ever-more partisan battles to find a way to compromise and meet the urgent challenges of today? Kay brings a unique perspective to the conversation and argues America’s problems are not economic, they are political – and they can be fixed.

“A Global Update”

The world is changing at lightning speed. It’s a world where many of the fastest growing economies are in Africa; where 300 million micro-bloggers challenge the supremacy of the Chinese state; and where one-third of the population of the Middle East is under thirty. It’s a world where big challenges abound. As the European financial crisis eases, the social toll of high unemployment still threatens the Eurozone. America’s economy is showing signs of resurgence, but its politicians have locked horns to impede real progress. Tension in the South China Seas raises concerns about Beijing’s regional ambitions. And from Tunis to Damascus to Cairo we are still feeling the turmoil of the post-Arab Spring Middle East. Where is it headed? Global times call for global perspective. Katty Kay draws on experience reporting from five different regions – North America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe – to offer insights on where the world is heading and how it will impact you.

“The Confidence Code”

Confidence! With it, we can take on the world; without it, we don’t ask for raises, request that important meeting, begin novels or take risks. In the success equation, research shows that confidence is even more critical than competence. But what is confidence and where does it come from? Are we born with it or do we acquire it? And why do women have less of it than their talents deserve? In this speech Katty Kay answers these questions and inspires audiences – weaving the latest scientific research with anecdotes from her own career and the many women she interviewed for the book. “Neurologists have isolated a ‘confidence gene,’” says Kay. “And when my own genes were tested for the book, I learned I am not genetically predisposed to being confident.” Kay’s experience is like that of so many women, even senior women, whose lack of confidence is what really holds them back from leaning in. But confidence is also art – impacted by how we choose to live with our genes. The good news – being confident is a choice. Kay’s storytelling inspires audiences to take action – to go outside their comfort zones, to try new hard things, to take risks, to be prepared to fail and to discover the secret to success.

“Womenomics”

At the 2013 World Economic Forum in Davos, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde called the advancement of women the greatest economic opportunity of our time. She is recognizing what Kay calls Womenomics, the extraordinary value of women in the workforce. Global studies show that companies who employ more senior women make more money. Women control 83% of consumer purchases; in America they even buy more cars than men. They have more degrees and are ideally suited to the demands of our talent-driven economy. But too many women in their mid-thirties hit the brick wall of kids vs. career and decide to leave the workforce. We can’t afford to keep losing them. Kay marshals evidence from employers large and small to show how possible it is to help women meet the demands of family and career and keep these valuable contributors in the workforce. Flexible work schedules prove to be a win-win; when companies take the clocks off the wall and choose to measure output not input, they see productivity rise by an average of 40%. What starts as talent retention becomes a profit bonus any company would be happy to have. Kay’s talks give an inspirational boost to women and a practical guide to employers, drawing on her own juggling of a demanding career and four children.

Moderator, Discussion Leader & Interviewer

A seasoned moderator and interviewer, Katty Kay brings experience and poise to the stage – deftly guiding the conversation in ways that unearth valuable insights with great, and sometimes surprising, results. Katty Kay will make the most of the important panel gatherings and notable guests on the program.

Keynote Speech

“The great news is, confidence is something we can choose to have," Katty Kay explains. Drawing on her book The Confidence Code Katty encourages her audience to reach out and take that extra confidence for themselves. “You get more confidence by going outside your comfort zone, by taking risks, by being prepared to fail."

Keynote Speech

NATS (negative automatic thoughts) are big confidence killers for women. You know them. “I should have done x…” “Why did I say y?…” “That paper wasn’t as good as it could have been…” Women are particularly prone to NATS. We think we make one tiny mistake and we dwell on it for hours and hours.
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We all think we know confidence when we see it. It’s what the person who speaks first and longest at the office meeting has. It’s what your friend who always seems so sure of their opinions has. It’s there in the who-cares-that-my-last-10-ideas-were-shot-down,-I’ll-just-propose-another attitude of that slightly irritating new hire. When we started this project we
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